The goalie dropped.
My stick caught the puck clean and I fired. It rang iron and kicked out to the corner.
Grayson slapped the glass with his glove as we looped past each other on the backcheck. “That’s it. Keep pushing.”
The Stars tried to answer with a rush through center. Their winger carried speed, head down, hoping to split Tucker and Cash. But Tucker angled him wide while Cash stepped into the lane and lifted his stick. Perfect timing. The puck slid loose toward the boards.
I grabbed it and turned up ice.
Grayson matched my stride through the neutral zone. Landon cut across the far blue line, dragging a defender with him. That opened a narrow lane through the middle, and I sent it through the seam.
Two huge strides from Grayson, and he ripped a shot before their defense had a breath to reset. Good shot, but the goalie kicked it aside.
Landon circled behind the net and dug it free again.
The bench erupted behind us.
“Again,” Grayson called.
We cycled, adrenaline pushing us to do as our captain said.
Dallas tried to clear, but Cash pinched down and kept it alive. The puck skittered along the boards. I corralled it and snapped a quick pass toward the crease.
Grayson redirected, and this one beat the goalie clean.
The horn ripped through the arena and he skated past with his fist raised while the crowd surged to its feet. He pointed his stick toward me as he looped back.
“Nice feed.”
I tapped his shin pad.
The bench opened and the guys poured over the boards to celebrate. Gloves thumped against helmets as we rolled through the line.
Years of watching from the sidelines, and tonight the game felt different under my skates. Faster. Clearer. Mostly it was me. I felt different in the game.
Coach clapped my shoulder as I stepped onto the bench. “You’re looking alive out there, kid. Stay on them.”
I nodded and grabbed a quick swig from my water bottle.
The Stars pushed back halfway through the period. Their top line pinned us in our zone for a long shift. Grayson dropped low to help Tucker clear the crease while I covered the slot. The puck bounced between sticks before Cash finally shoveled it off the boards and out.
Landon and I streaked up the side.
“Middle,” he called.
I sent it across and followed the play into their zone.
Landon circled the defenseman and fired a pass across the front of the net. It skipped past a Dallas stick and hit my tape. One quick move. The goalie slid across, and I snapped the shot high glove.
The net jumped, and the arena followed right after.
Landon barreled into me first, arms wrapping around my shoulders before Grayson crashed into both of us.
“First line suits you,” Landon said against my helmet.
I laughed and shoved him away.
The rest of the period blurred into fast shifts and heavy forechecks. Dallas clawed one back near the end when a reboundslipped past Hunter during a scramble in the crease. Hunter slammed his stick against the post while the Stars celebrated.
